Sophomore year of high school, my step-uncle, Jim Quinn (former bodybuilder who used to compete against the greats - Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, etc.) got me started working out in his basement, giving me tips on form and whatnot. Over the summer as a rising junior, I got really into bulking up and gained 30 lbs. by the time school started again. I felt really confident with my new physique, but let it go to waste as the schoolyear required more of my time than nutrition and bodybuilding. Eventually it got to the point where I was just eating whatever and working out because I "had to". This summer I'm a rising senior and I'm dedicated to keeping this love of personal health and goals in overall physique transformation. My qoal before the end of the summer is to hit 175 lbs. (I'm only 154 currently, as I dropped from the 160's a while ago) I want to keep my body fat percentage to a minimal and I definitely want to work on my abs and triceps above all.

Bodybuilding gave me a new perspective on life. No longer was life about trying to be like everyone else and fulfill everyone else's expectations. For once in my life, I wasn't the skinny loser. Bodybuilding is more than a hobby; it's a lifestyle, and it taught me that I can't sit on my ass and expect things to come to me in life. If there's something I really want, I have to work for it and get it. When I step into the gym with my iPod on and my water bottle full, I tell myself I can do anything I set my mind to. Lift heavy. Hopefully throughout my life, I will reach all my goals, not only in bodybuilding, but other areas as well.